


Wanted: A Nursemaid for Two Adorable Children

by petofi



Category: Mary Poppins (Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: A little angst, Crack, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Gen, Mary Poppins can fix anything, Odin tries, Parent-Child Relationship, women being smart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 19:17:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17566400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petofi/pseuds/petofi
Summary: With Loki dangling off the bifrost at the end of Thor, a certain magical nanny comes along to make everything right again.





	Wanted: A Nursemaid for Two Adorable Children

**Author's Note:**

> This was written like, I don't even know, eight years ago? It was originally written for a prompt on the Thor kink-meme and forgotten about, but I just recently saw Mary Poppins Returns at the theater and felt like I just had to pull this out again. It pulls heavily from the original Mary Poppins and it takes place right after the first Thor movie and ignores everything that happens after in the Marvel universe (basically because it was written before all the other stuff came out).

 

Loki dangled over the abyss, clutching Gungnir as his only lifeline. Thor hovered above him, clutching the other end. But Loki only had eyes for the Allfather braced at the top of the broken Rainbow Bridge. 

“I could have done it, Father. I could have done it. For you. For all of us.” Loki yelled over the roaring winds. His voice was so, so young and his face so, so desperate.

Odin looked down in despair and disappointment. How had it come to all this?

“No, Loki.”

Loki stared up at his father. There was no point anymore. He felt his grip on the staff slipping and he did nothing to stop it.

“Loki, no,” Thor commanded in a whisper before it turned into a shout of despair.

Thor’s yell cut short as his eyes widened at the sight before him. A prim looking woman with a hat and carpet bag was floating through space with an open umbrella held in her hand. Just as Loki’s hand slipped completely from Gungnir, he was caught up by the mysterious woman. “Oh this will not do,” she said matter of factly. “Come along, Loki.”

As if blown by an unseen wind, they both flew gently upward and landed safely on the edge of the bridge. Odin pulled Thor up and they all found themselves standing in a loose circle facing each other. The woman with the umbrella looked at each of them carefully and seemed to come to a conclusion.

“Hmm.” With a decisive nod she addressed the three gods before her. “It seems I have some work to do here.”

“Excuse me, dear lady, but what is the meaning of all this?” Odin asked in bewilderment. This was all a little much for somebody who had just woken up.

“Why, I am here about the position, of course. I realize I am a little late, but Asgard is not the easiest address to get to.”

“Position?” 

The woman gave Odin a shrewd look and continued on. “Yes. I assure you, my credentials are impeccable. I expect the standard rate of pay and every second Tuesday off. Now, down to business.” She deftly pulled a yellowed piece of parchment from her coat pocket and began to read. “‘Wanted: A nursemaid for two adorable children.’” She broke off to tilt her head at them, saying, “You don’t know how many advertisements start this way. But to continue; ‘Duties include playing games, reading stories and tucking into bed.’”

Thor inched his way closer to Loki and nudged him in the side. For the moment the fighting and anger were forgotten and both brothers wore matching expressions of disbelief. “Loki, is that....?”

“Yes.” Loki’s answer was a quiet exhale.

“While I know many games, they may be a little different from what you’re used to. Stories are not a problem and as for tucking into bed,” the woman eyed Thor and Loki dubiously, “well, we can work it out. As for the next part, ‘No yelling and no whipping as punishment.’ I never yell and I will not under any circumstances hurt a child,” again she eyed the princes, “or anyone under my care.”

Thor couldn’t stand it anymore. “How can you have that!?” He shouted as he pointed to the aged parchment in her hands.

“It was meant for me, was it not?”

“Well...I suppose, but...” Thor trailed off and Loki came to his aid.

“We wrote that over five hundred years ago!” 

“I did tell you that Asgard was a rather tricky address to find,” the woman replied patiently. Loki’s voice had lost much of the madness that colored it earlier, but there was still a touch of hysteria. As if making a sudden decision the woman primly folded the parchment and picked up her carpet bag. “I accept the position. If you would kindly show me to my room...”

Nobody moved.

“Spit spot,” the woman urged.

Finally Odin collected his wits and gestured a command to his sons. Still in a slight daze, Thor offered his arm to lean on and Loki made a small bow before turning to lead the way. 

“By the way, you have failed to ask for it, but it seems only polite to give my name as I will be working for you,” the woman’s voice drifted calmly over the ruins of the bridge. “I am Mary Poppins.”

                                                                           _________________________ 

 

After running a gloved hand over various surfaces and finding no dust Mary Poppins approved of her room. Then she asked Thor and Loki to lead her to their own chambers.

The princes lived in the same rooms they had as children. Found on the same side of the hall, Thor’s door was on the right and Loki’s on the left. Between the two was another door that led to a common space connecting both rooms. In younger days the brothers had always kept their doors open to the common room so that they could easily find each other. It was also in this room that they had first written out their letter of advertisement for the perfect nursemaid after their previous one had punished them severely for one of Loki’s pranks. A slightly teary-eyed Loki had sat at the table carefully scrawling out the words. Thor had sat next to him and added his own suggestions. The next morning the letter had been gone from the table, blown out the window by a draft in the night. No perfect nursemaid ever came to work at the palace and Thor and Loki eventually grew up and forgot all about it. Until now.

“At least it looks like you two are quite tidy,” Mary Poppins surveyed the chambers with a pleased expression. She had taken off her hat in her own room, but not her coat. From the pocket she extracted a tape measure. “Now I’d like to see how the two of you measure up. Stand over here please. Loki, will you pull this end down. Thank you. Stand up straight, Thor.”

Loki held one end of the tape measure on the floor at Thor’s feet while Mary Poppins unwound the other up to Thor’s golden hair.

“Yes, just as I thought it would be,” Mary Poppins stated. She read aloud the words on the measure at Thor’s height. “Rather arrogant, rash and reckless.’”

“It says that?” Thor asked in disbelief. Mary Poppins held the tape measure out so he could see for himself.

“It sounds just like you, brother,” Loki smirked.

“None of that now, Loki. You’re next.”

Loki’s posture was always very good so Mary Poppins had no admonishments as she stretched on tip-toe to pull the tape measure up to his height. 

“Hmm, not very good I’m afraid,” Mary Poppins said grimly as she looked at the section of tape measure near the top of Loki’s head. “‘Predisposed to mischief, harbors a deep resentment.’”

“What?” Loki asked. He ripped the tape measure from Mary Poppins hands to read it himself. Thor looked at him sadly, there was no joking about Loki’s height readings.

Mary Poppins retrieved her tape measure. Putting it in her pocket she gave them each a smile. “Not to worry. I’m sure you can grow out of it.”

“We are grown already,” Thor replied with a frown. He made a vague gesture indicating his height and breadth as that of an adult.

Mary Poppins just kept smiling. “Appearances are not always as they seem. You both still have some growing to do.”

Then she clapped her hands together abruptly and began taking off her coat. “Now, I see that it is starting to get dark outside. What do you two usually do before bedtime?”

Thor and Loki glanced at each other unsure what to say. They were adults. They didn’t necessarily have a bedtime.

“Some reading?” Loki suggested tentatively.

Thor made a face at that. “I prefer to polish my weapons.”

“Very sensible, quiet activities,” Mary Poppins nodded pleased. “I’ll be over in this rocking chair if you need me.” 

Somehow a half-finished embroidery cloth on a hoop had come to be in her possession as she made herself comfortable in the same chair Frigga had occupied when her sons were young. The brothers exchanged another unsure glance before setting themselves to their own pursuits. Loki found a book and occupied his own armchair. Thor set himself up at the table with his sword, a soft rag and a can of polish. Normally they could stay awake late into the hours, but this night seemed different. Perhaps it was the soothing, rhythmic rocking of Mary Poppins’ chair as she concentrated on her needlework. Thor’s rag moved more slowly over the metal in his hand and his head began to droop. Loki’s eyes began to close and blur the words on the page of his spellbook. Without looking like she had been watching, Mary Poppins saw it all. 

As the two princes slumped further towards sleep she put down her embroidery and stood. After gently tugging them to Thor’s room, she helped them peel out of as many layers as decency allowed before leaving them in some privacy to finish getting dressed for bed. When it seemed more than enough time had elapsed, the new nursemaid went back in to find Thor and Loki sitting sleepily in their nightclothes on Thor’s bed. They looked up at her with bleary eyes as she pulled the covers back. The bed was big enough to fit two so Mary Poppins simply guided them both under the blanket and tucked it around them. They both looked asleep already, but Mary Poppins asked anyway.

“Would either of you like me to sing a lullaby?”

                                                                        _______________________________

 

It only took a quick introduction for Frigga to welcome the new nursemaid to the palace with open arms. Another woman with an outside perspective was just the thing needed to straighten out her broken family. Odin on the other hand was too busy overseeing the repairs on the Bifrost and deep into peace talks with the survivors of Jotunheim. His schedule was crowded from morning to night. It wasn’t until four days after Mary Poppins’ arrival that the King of Asgard had time to sit down to his own breakfast in the hall. 

He settled his weary bones into his chair and looked around for a servant bearing the trays. It was early and few of the other residents of the palace were awake. A handful sat further down the table and Frigga appeared to be halfway done her own meal next to him.

“Morning, dear,” his wife greeted warmly.

Odin would have answered, but at that moment a servant carrying a tray of food came whistling through the door. 

“Ah, good morning, Sire!” he chirped happily. “Would you care for some fruit and bread to break your fast?”

“With honey?” A serving girl practically sang as she danced up behind the first tray bearer. She deposited a clay jar of honey on the table in front of Odin before dancing off towards the others at the table.

Odin looked bemused and turned to Frigga. “I may be mistaken, but I do not remember the staff being so...” he searched for an appropriate word, “elated in the morning.”

Frigga’s smile was knowing and secret. “It is Mary Poppins. She seems to have a cheery influence on those around her."

Just as that declaration was made Mary Poppins walked by singing a duet with a little bluebird perched on her finger. Thor and Loki were trailing half heartedly after her.

“Though our princes do not seem to be affected,” Odin replied as his one eye traced the slump of his retreating sons’ shoulders. He sighed and put a hand to his head. “At least she is keeping them occupied and out of trouble as I straighten out the mess they left behind on Midgard and Jotunheim. These peace talks are causing such headaches.”

“I think they are not affected because she is not what they truly want.” Frigga drank a few dainty sips from her goblet, before turning to fully face her husband. “I know you are a busy man. You are king. That is a position greater than any man and brings a wonderful and terrible price. Always the importance of your realm and subjects must come before your family. But you should remember that sometimes the importance of your family can affect the wellbeing of your subjects.”

“What hidden meaning is in your words? What are you saying?”

Frigga turned to fully face Odin. “Just that a little time and attention spent now might relieve some of the headaches later.”

With those wise words hanging before her husband, Frigga took one last bite of food and left the table. Odin sat in thoughtful silence, not once glancing at her retreating figure.

                                                                             ____________________________

 

“Father, please, you have to get rid of her,” Thor pleaded.

Odin sat on his throne and watched his two grown sons beg him for help. He was glad to see that their previous close bond had been repaired. The fact that they were only united because of a common enemy (the nursemaid) did not bother him. Once she was gone he had hope that they would remain close.

“Father,” Thor whimpered again when Odin did not immediately answer. Next to him Loki looked as close to tears as he could get without completely breaking down. Odin suddenly felt a deep sorrow. He hadn’t realized just how terrified and traumatized his boys were. Frigga’s words of the previous morning sprang to mind. Odin had spent much time pondering them and was beginning to finally see the truth his wife had known all along. 

He stood and descended the few steps it took to reach Thor and Loki. He placed one hand to each of their cheeks and gently held their heads so he could look each one in the eyes. “My sons, what has she done that is so terrible?”

Both Thor and Loki’s eyes darted sideways to glance at each other without moving their heads before they broke into simultaneous whining that Odin only caught half of.

“She made us follow her on these so-called ‘outings’-”

“We jumped into a tapestry-”

“-the rooftops with the servants! Not to mention her talking to animals-”

“-had to chase down a unicorn and then recite some long, nonsense word-”

“-where there were dancing penguins and-”

“-constantly making us eat spoonfuls of sugar that-”

“-until we were were floating on the ceiling drinking mead!-”

“-turn all our duties into ridiculous games-”

“-because Sif and the Warriors Three were laughing so hard at us they floated up too-”

“And _then_ I had to snap my fingers and _sing_ to repair the Bifrost!”

Loki was going to be the first to break, Odin could see it coming. Without thinking, trusting only to instinct, he quickly moved to gather Loki into his arms and crush him in an embrace. Loki was so startled and confused that the breakdown was delayed for a moment. Only for a moment though because soon enough he had clutched his own arms tightly around his adoptive father’s neck and hyperventilated into his chest, fogging up the metal breastplate. Never to be left out, Thor rose up and grabbed at both of them until everyone was involved in a tearful three-way hug.

“Please banish her, Father,” Thor begged. 

“Forever,” Loki added with a sniffle.

Odin slowly pushed them away from his chest so that he could see both of their faces. He kept his own hands still placed on their shoulders as he smiled gently at them and shook his head. “I cannot banish a woman for simply taking my sons on strange adventures.”

The princes of Asgard were prevented from launching further protests as a messenger came rushing into the throne room. “Allfather, I am sorry to interrupt, but if you wish to attend the meeting on Alfheim, then you must depart now. Also, when you return the weapons keeper and the head of the guardhouse would both like to speak with you.”

Thor and Loki’s faces fell in disappointment at this speech. This time Odin was watching and noticed. He waved the messenger quiet for a moment and looked back to his sons.

“I cannot banish her,” Odin repeated with a smile, “But I _can_ sack her.” 

Thor and Loki looked up in surprise, not understanding what their father was trying to tell them.

“You need no nursemaid minding you when you can have me,” Odin laughed. He glanced over the shocked expressions in front of him to the fidgeting messenger at the door. “Send someone else to the meeting in Alfheim and tell everyone that I’m busy and not to be disturbed for the day.”

“But, Father,” Loki protested, “your duties as a king-”

“We can talk with you later,” Thor agreed, “once you are finished-”

“No. My duties as a king do not always have to supersede my duties as a father,” Odin told them sternly before his expression softened. “I have come to realize that I have not spent enough of my time with my two subjects most worthy of it.” Odin beamed and reached behind his throne to pull out a hastily made paper object on a string. “And I have heard that this is a most admirable way to spend some family time together. Come. Let’s go fly a kite.”

He strode purposely towards the door, glancing back to make sure his sons were following. Thor hesitated for a moment and leaned towards Loki.

“What is a kite?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Loki whispered back, “but if Father wants to fly one with us I’m not saying no.”

He ran toward Odin. Thor followed in close pursuit.

                                                                       ___________________________

 

Mary Poppins stood at the end of the hall watching as her charges hurried after their father. A small smile spread over her face. Her bag was packed and her hat and coat already donned. She held her umbrella in her left hand, unopened and with the bird head of the handle upright near her face.

The little wooden beak opened to address her. “Running after their father like little children. I don’t know why you even took this job. These are the only two that never liked you.”

“It was not me they needed to like,” Mary Poppins replied quietly as she gazed at the retreating figures in contemplation.

“Then who was it?”

“Each other. Themselves.”

The bird had no reply to that wisdom. Instead he focused with mild glee on a new topic.

“You were almost sacked.”

“I am never sacked,” Mary Poppins said firmly.

“Only because you’re sneaking away before they can actually do it,” the little bird almost taunted. “If you stayed around here a little longer they would definitely-”

Mary Poppins quickly dropped her bag and reached out to clamp her fingers over the beak. “Enough of that, please. I think it’s time we were moving on.”

                                                                        __________________________

 

Heimdall, all-seeing gatekeeper of Asgard, stood at the end of the Rainbow Bridge next to the repaired Bifrost and looked out upon the realm. High on a shining, turreted tower of the palace three figures stood laughing and grinning as a bright blue diamond of paper flew high in the star-studded sky.

And just beyond in the distance Heimdall’s eyes caught the figure of a woman. Hat firmly on her head, carpet bag in hand and umbrella opened above her she floated gracefully away. In her pocket a new letter of advertisement guided her path.


End file.
